The invention relates to a surgical fixing device for the mutual fixing of two bone parts lying next to each other, having a first engaging element for engaging the underside of the two bone parts and having a second engaging element for engaging the upper side of the bone parts and having a tensioning device, which connects the two engaging elements to each other through an interspace between the bone parts and which permanently fixes the two engaging elements with respect to each other in a tensioned manner when they engage the underside and the upper side of the bone parts.
Such a fixing device is known for example from DE 103 26 690 B4. With fixing devices of this type, two bone parts lying next to each other, for example two bone parts of the cranial bone or the sternum, can be fixed while lying side by side, leaving between the two bone parts a very narrow interspace through which the two engaging elements are tensioned with respect to each other.
It is difficult for such a device to be applied, since on the one hand the two engaging elements must be positioned on the underside and on the upper side of the bone parts and since on the other hand the two bone parts also have to be appropriately brought together. This can lead to problems in particular when engaging elements that have to be implanted in a specific direction are used, for example in the case of elongate, rectangular engaging elements.
It is an object of the invention to form a surgical fixing device of the generic type in such a way as to make it easier for the fixing device to be applied.